Non-refillable bottle



(No Model.)

G. W. STEFFENS.

NON-REFILLABLEv BOTTLE.

No. 565,242. Patented Aug. 4, 1896.

WI NES ES:- ww

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. STEFFENS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

NON-REFILLABLE BOTTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 565,242, dated August 4, 1896.

Application filed May 25, 1896. Serial No. 592,923. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE XV. STEFFENS, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Non-Refillable Bottles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to stoppers adapted to prevent the refilling of a bottle with out destruction of the stopper itself or the neck of the bottle; and the invention consists in a device of this character comprising a shell of absorbent and expansive material, such as wood, which is locked in position in the bottle-neck by the swelling of a previously-compressed portion of the shell, the said shell being weakened between its inner and outer ends to prevent its withdrawal without breakage.

The invention also consists in other improvements incidental to the purpos s of my invention, all as hereinafter descri bhd and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure- 1 represents a vertical section of the stopper in connect-ion with a portion of the neck of a bottle. Fig. 2 represents a perspective view of a stopper before its insertion in the neck of a bottle. Fig. 3 represents a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, the bottle-neck being omitted. Fig. 4 represents a section on line 4 at of Fig. 1. Figs. 5 and 6 represent sectional views of the blank from which the stopper is made. Fig. 7 represents a sectional View of the shell of the stopper before its compressed portion is expanded.

Similar reference letters indicate the same parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, or represents a portion of the neck of a bottle, having an internal groove or enlargement a.

1) indicates the shell of the stopper, which is made of wood, a portion 1) of said shell be ing formed, in the process of manufacturing it, with a swell or enlargement, Fig. 5, which enlargement is compressed before the shell is bored out, as indicated by the shaded portions 12 Fig. 6, so that said enlargement will be flush with the rest of the shell externally, and adapted, when the stopper iszin the bottle-neck, to be swelled by the action of the liquid, so as to expand into the groove 0, of

the bottle-neck, as shown in Fig. 1. The blank shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is bored out, as shown in Fig. 7, to complete the shell after the compression of the part b.

The upper end of the shell is provided with a pouring-nipple 0, preferably of porcelain or similar material, which is secured in place in the shell by suitable means, such as pins 0, or it may be held by friction and by the inward expansion of the surrounding portion of the casing. A band of metal, as at d, surrounds the shoulder b at the upper end of the shell, said metal band serving to prevent the said shoulder from being knocked or broken off when resting upon the top of the bottle-neck, and also to prevent the enlargement of the diameter of the shell by the absorption of liquid, the swelling of the wood being therefore caused to contract the open ing which receives the nipple 0, so that the nipple is firmly secured to the shell.

Between the shoulder 12 and the enlargement b the shell is cut away to form narrow connecting webs or necks e, which webs or necks will break if it should be attempted to remove the stopper from the bottle-neck. Below the nipple c is a guard f, preferably of porcelain or similar material, having arms f which are secured to the webs or necks e by means of pins F; or, if preferred, the arms f may rest on a seat or shoulder formed on the interior of the shell.

The lower end of the shell is provided with a convex valve-seat g, and 7?. represents a concave valve, preferably of vulcanized rubber, the rubber compound being of such nature that it will not be affected by wines and liquors and other liquids which are put upon the market in large quantities in bottles. From the center of the valve h a cord 72. depends, said cord being preferably of silk and having a weight '5, which is free to slide on its lower end. The cord is provided with a series of separate loose collars j, such as glass beads, interposed between the bottom of the valve and the top of the weight. The weight is preferably composed of a metal body 2, having a central orifice to receive the cord, and a covering 3, of rubber, to prevent injurious contact between the weight and the bottle when the latter is tipped. The cord It, being flexible, holds the valve to its seat without having a tendency to tip the valve and par tially open it when the bottle is moved from a vertical position. The loose beads or sections j, while not interferring with the flexibility of the cord, constitute a connection between the valve and weight which transmits the force of the weight to the valve.

7t represents pins projecting inward from the lower portions of the webs or necks c, i

which pins may be and preferably are of wood, these pins serving to limit the upward movement of the valve h. These pins may be omitted, however, if desired.

In operation, after the bottle has been filled the stopper is inserted in the bottle-neck, the shell being in the condition shown in Fig. 7,

after which the compressed portion is sub-:

jected to the action of a liquid, which may be the contents of the bottle. The compressed portion of the shell is thus caused to assume its original form, the swell I) being thus restored and caused to engage the groove a of the bottle.

When the bottle is tilted to pour out its contents, the valve readily yields, as will be understood. If the contents of the bottle are of such nature as to cause the valve to stick or adhere to its seat, the weight 71 may be caused to act as a hammer, through the me dium of the collars 3', so as to start the valve from its seat. If it be attempted to refill the bottle through the nipple c in any manner, the valve, aided by the weight 4;, will quickly seat itself and prevent the inflow of any liquid.

I claim- 1. A bottle-stopper comprisingin its construction a shell or casing of absorbent and expansive material having a compressed portion adapted to lock said shell in a bottleneck, a valve-seat, a suitable guard, and a weakened portion above the locking portion.

2. The combination with the shell I) having a compressed shoulder b, and provided with the shoulder 17 at its upper end, of the metal band I) inclosing said shoulder 5 and the pouring-nipple 0 within the said shoulder.

3. In a bottle-stopper,thecombination with an absorbent and expansive shell having a locking portion, a weakened portion, and a valve and valve-seat, of a nipple and guard of vitreous material secured in the upper end of said shell.

4. In a bottle-stopper,the combination with a valve-seat and a valve, of a weight having a flexible connection with said valve, and a plurality of loose collars embracing said flexible connection between the valve and the weight.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 18th day of May, A. D. 1896.

enonen w. STEFFENS.

lYitnesses:

A. D. HARRISON, P. IV. PEZZETTI. 

